Curse

Terminal · Dec 24, 2005, 06:15 AM // 06:15

Yupp, that's what i've had for a while with GW.exe claiming around 90% (whatever is left over from other system processes) of the CPU power.

This is not a crap CPU either. It's a P4 2.8 GHz.

Anyone have any clue what could be wrong ? I'm a little wary of playing these days because I fear verheating and a fried CPU after a few hours of gaming session.

I'm running a 1024 MB DDR SDRAM machine with Directx 9.0c and all the other whammies. Operating system is XP SP2.

Any ideas from anyone or any insight from someone who has faced this problem before would be really appreciated.

Thanks and <3

Old Dood · Dec 24, 2005, 06:39 AM // 06:39

how many processes do you have running? You might have some Mal-Ware running in the background using up CPU.

Terminal · Dec 24, 2005, 06:45 AM // 06:45

Running the normal 34-odd processes with SP2.

Also, this is after a fresh install. I formatted my hard drive, did a clean, fresh install of XP, SP2, installed all drivers, downloaded client from ANet and the CPU usage is still 100% with GW.exe (the Guild Wars client process file) taking up 90%+ of the CPU, pretty much all of it, pushing CPU usage to the 100% ceiling.

Again, it's not malware. I know all of the running processes under Task Manager by heart, which applications are running them and nothing is out of normal there. It is only GW.exe which is hogging up all of the CPU according to Task Manager.

Any ideas ?

Batou of Nine · Dec 24, 2005, 07:37 AM // 07:37

This is just an idea and 90% sure this aint it.
But i had recently gotten a new Vid card, but it wasnt working, in fact, my computer wouldnt even boot up anymore. I put back in my old card and it booted just fine. How weird. So i restart and go into BIOS. It seems my motherboard needed me to MANUALLY change the freaking Vid cards ram capacity. It had it set to 128mb, and the new card was 256. I changed the cap to allow higher ram usage, then also turned OFF the AUTO setting for Video card recognition. So, what does this have to do with you?

Maybe your BIOS currently has ur motherboard clocking ur CPU at only 1.5g or something werid like that. In other words, UNDERclocking? Not many Bios settings have such a feature, but they do exist, and if set below the actual processor speed, it WILL underclock its performance. This may possibly be a reason why ur processor seems to put so much into running GW.

Again about 90% sure this ISNT it, but just check your BIOS for key features relating to your CPU. Good Luck!!

EDIT:: Umm. i am now also concerned. It seems that my processor is at +90% at all times for GW.exe I checked BIOS to see if mine had any CPU specific controls, but none that would explain underclocking. i have a 2.8g P4. So umm i think this is normal somehow, since i have been playing for 6 months, and never had a problem. I dont think the CPU will necessarily be at risk for overheating. But i do suggest freeing up as many resources as possible to keep GW running smoothly. Running a CPU at 100% aint all THAT big of a risk, overclocking issues is where you would be REALLY concerned. A normal "came with CPU" fan should keep it going just fine =D

Scrubs Can Die · Dec 24, 2005, 08:49 AM // 08:49

A game like this should use close to 100%. I see no problem with it being around 90%.

Old Dood · Dec 24, 2005, 01:05 PM // 13:05

Not on my system....I have a 3.4Ghz 800FSB HT 650 Intel chipset and it runs about 40-50%. Sometimes one side of the chip will run more then the other...something with the hyper-threading. Of course it will go up and down depending on the demand...like when you pop into a busy town...or fight allot of bad guys with a full 8 man team.

I do not believe it should run 90-100% of your CPU....that is nuts...Lack of Ram will do that though....when the system has to use the swap file heavily. Changing your swap file size might help some too...

Other then that...I am baffled as to why his system is doing that....

Josh · Dec 24, 2005, 02:00 PM // 14:00

When running Guild Wars for me, it's *always* used a full 100% of my CPU...

AMD 2.4ghz
768mb ram
ati sapphire radeon 9250

But I can run GW max detail, Mozilla, Winamp (music), MSN, it'll stay 100% CPU, but it's not lagging me...unless it's putting a strain on my CPU?

Old Dood · Dec 24, 2005, 03:36 PM // 15:36

In crease your swap file...then see what it does...it looks real low...
An old rule of thumb is 1.5 times the amount of ram you have...

Amok · Dec 24, 2005, 03:42 PM // 15:42

its ok to be running at 100%, mines been doing it for years with various games and other demanding programs, never had any problems.

Old Dood · Dec 24, 2005, 03:51 PM // 15:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amok

its ok to be running at 100%, mines been doing it for years with various games and other demanding programs, never had any problems.

Maybe so...I noticed that Josh's computer is not a HT or dual core...I have had a HT type for years now....not use to the single core...but his page file looks way low...I would increase it....and add ram...he will be surprised how much more "Snap" comes back to his box...

Sereng Amaranth · Dec 24, 2005, 05:19 PM // 17:19

how do you increase the swap file?

Josh · Dec 24, 2005, 05:46 PM // 17:46

How do I increase my swap/page file? Only type of things I can find to change is my Virtual Memory...

Old Dood · Dec 24, 2005, 10:07 PM // 22:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josh

How do I increase my swap/page file? Only type of things I can find to change is my Virtual Memory...

Exactly...that is what I meant...The Page File...with in the virual memory box.

I am use to calling it a Swap-file...because that is what it does...it swaps out the hard drive for extra Ram....

I would increase that. As I said the rule of thumb on that is 1.5 times your Physical Ram. If you have 512Mbs then make it 1.5Mbs(1536K) with your Page File.

C:/Start/Control Panel/System/Advance/Performance/Settings/Advance/Virtual Memory/Change<----that is where you set your amout. Do not make it too large it will slow you down.

Josh · Dec 24, 2005, 10:19 PM // 22:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Warrior Dood

Exactly...that is what I meant...The Page File...with in the virual memory box.

I am use to calling it a Swap-file...because that is what it does...it swaps out the hard drive for extra Ram....

I would increase that. As I said the rule of thumb on that is 1.5 times your Physical Ram. If you have 512Mbs then make it 1.5Mbs(1536K) with your Page File.

C:/Start/Control Panel/System/Advance/Performance/Settings/Advance/Virtual Memory/Change<----that is where you set your amout. Do not make it too large it will slow you down.

:x Isn't 512 x 1.5 = 768? ;s

By the way, I could've sworn, it was "Techie" I'm sure from this Forum who said for your initial size, you put your current RAM (so 768 for me), and maximum size is double your RAM, so I put 1536MB RAM...Because I was reading some guide of his or some advice he was giving before.

^^ That's what my settings are at the moment;

768 initial
1536 max

[edit]
Here's a screenshot;

toastgodsupreme · Dec 24, 2005, 10:28 PM // 22:28

Ummm, THIS IS NORMAL.

100% CPU usage by any game is NORMAL.

Your page file has nothing to do with GW's CPU usage.

Josh · Dec 24, 2005, 10:38 PM // 22:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by toastgodsupreme

Ummm, THIS IS NORMAL.

100% CPU usage by any game is NORMAL.

Your page file has nothing to do with GW's CPU usage.

I sense someone's going to come in now like Loviator, Techie, Old Warrior Dood or someone who knows what there talking about is gonna come in here and prove you wrong, because I'm sure that your wrong, lol.

Old Dood · Dec 24, 2005, 11:24 PM // 23:24

Josh..I heard of double and 1.5 times....you are right my arithmatic is off...Dood is tired.

Some how I was thinking of your 768Mb and making it 1.5Gb. EDIT: (Your recommended from WIN is 1150Mb..or 1.5 times) Myself with my system I have 4Gb of physical ram. My Page file is set a 4Gb ....I never changed it when I use to have 2Gb of Ram. In anycase I would try 1.5Gb on yours...see what it does. I never recalled a computer of mine ever maxing out the CPU before. Except my little Dim 4100 800Mhz P3...that thing always maxes out now...

All that food today...Dood needs his NAP!

Watching the little ones at Gradma's home this afternoon was worth it though...I took over 85 pics....

toastgodsupreme · Dec 24, 2005, 11:54 PM // 23:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josh

I sense someone's going to come in now like Loviator, Techie, Old Warrior Dood or someone who knows what there talking about is gonna come in here and prove you wrong, because I'm sure that your wrong, lol.

I'm sorry. I guess I don't know what I'm talking about. Having worked for my university for over 2 years supporting computers all over campus. I'm not going to throw my degree out there because there are plenty of idiots with a degree.

It's normal for ANY 3D GAME to cause your cpu usage to run at 100% while it's running. It's the nature of the beast.

Quote:

Whenever I play World of Warcraft or Day of Defeat: Source my CPU usage is at 100% the entire time. It is definitely the game and no other program that uses so much of the CPU.

Quote:

I would expect 100% cpu during 3d game playing. Any background applications
running? Have you tried more then one 3d game? Does the game have the
latest patch? (there's always a patch <g>)

"Mike" <[email protected]> wrote in message

Quote:

Of course your CPU usage is at 100% when playing games. Why wouldn't it be,
games are intensive. Your GPU make take the load somewhat but theres still
plenty of things for you CPU to compute while playing games such as Lighting
effects.

-Bill

"Greg Topf" <[email protected]> wrote in message

PLENTY PLENTY PLENTY more stuff like this all over the web. Even on the most high end system, CPU usage is going to be maxed. The only systems that MIGHT not be maxed are dual/quad processor system or systems with multicore processors. I can see one processor/core being maxed while the other running around 50% or whatnot.

EDIT:

A properly optimized page file:

It's not on my primary drive, it's on a backup raid 1 array. I purge my page file about once a month, defrag the array (I've set it for weekly backups), then remake the page file. That keeps it from getting fragmented. The reason I don't just wipe the page file upon each shutdown is because it take a bit with a 4Gb page file. That and I'm not concerned with someone comming in and walking off with my page file (since wiping it is more for security reasons than speed).

Why 4gb? Well, why should I make it any less? I've done numerous tests and have seen no speed decrease. Any increase in speed I have attributed to the placebo effect. Why a stationary size? Like I said, there's no reason with the capacity of today's hard drives to have your page file resized on account of saving space. It just leads to more HD activity and just one more thing for Windows to think about.

My backup array is consists of 2 western digital 320Gb SATA2 hard drives. My backup image, along with my mp3s and whatever else are stored on this array and it's mirrored (wouldn't want your backup to just up and die would you?). So essentially, with the mirroring, I have a backup of my backup. Paranoid? Yeah. Too many people come into my office and complain that their computer died and when I go to look, it's the hard drive and I have to explain why their data is gone. Sucks for the unprepared.

Ill Eagle · Dec 25, 2005, 01:42 AM // 01:42

well, i'm actually in the same situation Terminal but i agree with Toast. i always get close to ~90% cpu usage while playing GW (have been playing GW for a few weeks now and its been like that since i can remember) and i haven't come across any problems.

i don't think there's anything wrong with your pc (unless it starts crashing after a few hours of GW play, and even then it wouldn't be because of the high cpu usage). a cpu shouldn't fry itself from that type of stress either and if it does get too hot most newer motherboards have a mechanism that shuts itself off after the cpu passes a threshold in temperature (its happened to me before).

here are some of my system specs if you're interested:
motherboard: asus k8v se delux
cpu: amd athlon 64 3000+
memory: 1Gb (2x 512mb stick)

hope some of that helped.

merry christmas!

Loviatar · Dec 25, 2005, 02:07 AM // 02:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josh

I sense someone's going to come in now like Loviator, Techie, Old Warrior Dood or someone who knows what there talking about is gonna come in here and prove you wrong, because I'm sure that your wrong, lol.

100% has been stated as normal and expected from the Anet tech support people.

this was addressed by all the overheating issues when the cpu finally got a full workout and the cooling dust bunnies in the heatsink/fan caused overheating.